ARIZONA NEWS
Teen clothing chain to shut down 4 stores in Phoenix area
PHOENIX — Teen clothing retailer Rue 21 is closing about 400 stores across the country, including four in the Phoenix area.
Although the privately held company did not formally announce which stores were closing, a location search on the website lists the closing stores. The Valley will lose stores in Anthem, Mesa, Peoria and Queen Creek.
No closing dates have been released.
At least one-third of the chain will be shut down so it can focus more on its online business. That will leave more than 700 stores in 48 states still operating.
The company is headquartered north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In a Facebook post it called the decision to close the stores “difficult but necessary.”
Like many brick-and-mortar retailers, it has been battling declining mall traffic amid strong competition online.
Stores in the Valley remain open in Glendale, Goodyear, Mesa (Superstition Springs Center), Surprise and Tempe.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
